American Big Game in its Haunts 



a single bear to cover the sides of a stream for a 

 long distance with such places. One finds fish 

 skeletons scattered all along a salmon stream, and 

 it is generally easy to tell whether a bear or eagle 

 has made the kill. An eagle usually carries the 

 whole fish away with him, leaving only scales be- 

 hind. A bear, on the other hand, eats his fish 

 where he catches him, preferring the belly and 

 back, and usually discarding the skeleton, and 

 always the under jaw. 



The Finn hunter whom I met on my way north, 

 said he had seen an old cow bear when fishing with 

 her cubs, rush salmon in toward the shore and scoop 

 them out for the young. Generally they watch on 

 a low bank, or in the shallow water, while fishing. 



During the rutting season, supposed to be in 

 June, the female travels ahead, the male bringing 

 up the rear to furnish protection from that quarter. 

 Then if one kills the female the male gives trouble, 

 often charging on sight. 



The Finn thought that, as a rule, the cow bear 

 comes on at a gallop and a bull rises on his hind 

 legs when getting in close. When wounded the 

 bear usually strikes the injured spot, or if it is a 

 cow and cubs, the old one cuffs her young soundly, 

 thinking them the cause of pain. The nose is the 

 main source of protection, as, like all bears, these 



250 



